Dissent

10.13.11

New Republic Splits Over Protests

Lucas Jackson, Reuters / Landov

On Wednesday, The New Republiceditorialized againstOccupy Wall Street, accusing the protesters of wanting to overthrow capitalism. That apparently didn’t sit too well with some of the magazine’s star writers: on Thursday, John B. Judis and Jonathan Cohn struck back, arguing that “the heart of the movement is its focus on the inequality of wealth and power, and the way that it has undermined American democracy”—a much-needed emphasis that liberals shouldn’t squander. Senior writer Timothy Noah, meanwhile, chided the editors for “rushing” to condemn Occupy Wall Street. “American capitalism is overdue for reform more drastic than anything under current consideration within the polite mainstream.”